Mandrel for shaping hollow or tubular wrought-metal articles.



, iff /7/ x n y 1 F.,n.- swan. MANDREL FOR vSHAPING HOLLOW 0R TUBULABWROUGIHT METAL ARTIGLES., Y Appliention v:1mi Apr. 12,1901 (No Model.)

a' of Patented Feb. 11,. 19112.;

IdNr-run dSTATES PATENT OFFICE.l

FRED D. SWEET, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS-SIGNMENTS, TO THE STIRLING COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEWV JERSEY, ACORPORATION OF NEY JERSEY.

MANDREL For SHAPLNG HOLLOW ORIUBULAR' wRoUeHt-METAL ARTICLES.

srncrFIoATIoN-forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,1 se, datedFebruary 11,1902.

application filed April 12, 1901. serial No. 55,508. (No modela To allwhom it 71cm/ 0077/037471.;

Be it known that I, FRED D. SWEET, a resident of Pittsburg, in thecounty of Allegheny aud'State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Mandrels for Articles; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof. l

Myinvention relates to a mandrel for use in shaping hollow or tubularmetal articles, such as serpentine boiler-headers and other art-ieleshaving an irregular shape.

Serpentine boiler-headers and similar articles are made fromcomparatively heavy metal, andas such articles are irregular in shapeconsiderable difficultyv has been experienced in forming them ofwrought-iron or steel. By reason of the thickness of the metal composingsuch articles it requires heavy pressure to properly shape the same,andfin order to prevent the Acollapse of the tube during the shapingprocess it is necessary to use an internal support or mandrel for thesame. By reason ot the great irregularity in the shape of these articlesdifficulty has been experienced i-n providing a suitable internalsupport or mandrel which will offer sufficient resistance to the actionof the external forging or pressing dies and which nevertheless iscapable of being withdrawn or removed from the vh eader or other articleafter the same is shaped. Heretofore serpentine headers and similararticles have been made of Wrought metal only by the use of complicatedsectional and collapsiblemandrels, which were inserted in the tube andvafter the same was shaped were then collapsed and withdrawntherefrom.

It is the object of my invention to provide a mandrel for this purposewhich is simple, strong, and comparatively'inexpensive and which can beeasily inserted in the tube and withdrawn from the header or otherarticle after the same has been shaped.

To this end it comprises a body or s upport of the proper shape Yto formthe desired article and which is composed -of a few simple andeasily-assembled sections so constructed that they can be securedtogether to form a tion of the same.

tion illustratingthermandrel shaped to form 6o .tubular articles ofsharper" curve than illus- `trat'ed in Fig. 1. Fig..4 is a transversesecthe same. l

rigid body, which is inserted in the tube and is adapted to have thewalls ofv the latter pressed down upon the same to shape the article,and which sections can thereafter be "readily withdrawn from thefinished article. 51, Shaping Hollow or TubularVVrought-Metalalongitudinal verticalV section of my yim- VIn the accompanyingdrawings,Figure l is proved mandrel. Fig.y 2 is a transverse sec- Fig.,3 is alongitudinal section of the same. Fig. 5 is a plan view of either themandrel shown in Fig. l or Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectionalView of the man- 65 'drel formed in longitudinal sections to permit theapplication of a diaphragm to the header or other tubular article. Fig.7 is a Fig. S is a longitudinal vertical section through 7o theshaping-dies, tube, and inclosed mandrel;

and Fig. 9 is a vertical transverse J:section of In the drawings Ihaveshown my invention 'applied in the formation of serpentine boiler- 75headers, and the mandrel comprises the body "l, havingsubstantially fiatandparallel side faces 2 and 'sinuous or corrugated top and bottom faces3. This mandrel is adapted to be inserted in a rectangular tube 4, which8o hastii'st been properlyA heated and, together with the same, isplaced in the dies 5, whereby the tube is pressed down upon the mandrelto conform to the shape thereof, after which the said mandrel isremoved. The dies 5 comprise a lower stationary die G, havinga 'sinuousworking face 7v,jand an upper movable `die8, which is provided with asimilar sinuous workingfaice -9,;.said upper die being moved,preferably, by means. of a hydraulic 9o cylinder (not shown) or by meansof a cam, eccentric, or any other suitable mechanism. Formed integrallytherewith or suitably secured tothe bottom die 6 is the plain-facedstationary side die 10, and opposite this is a plain-faced movable sidedie ll, ythe same being moved, preferably,'by meansV of a hydrauliccylinder or other equivalent mechanism, as above stated, although it maybe moved by wedges or similar devices. In the Ioo operation of thesedies the mandrel inclosed in the heated tube is placed on the bed-die 6,and the side die 11 is moved up to confine the same between said die 11and the die 10, after which the die S is brought down to press the wallsof the tube down into the depressions or corrugations on the upper andlower faces of the mandrel 1. In this operation it is necessary that themetal in the side walls of the tube between the points 12 and 13 beupset into the metal between the points 13 and 14, or, in other words,that the height of the side walls of the tube be reduced an amount equalto the distance between the points 12 and 13. In order to secure aproper upsetting of this metal and leave the side walls smooth and ofuniform thickness, it is preferable that t-he side die 11 be at firstbrought but lightly against the side of the tube 4, and after the topdie 8 has been brought down to upset the side walls of the tube the sidedie 11 is pressed firmly against the said tube, thereby smoothening outany bulges or unevenness in the side walls of the tube, and it may evenbe found desirable in carrying out the invention that the dies 8 and 11be given alternate slight inward and outward movements in order tosecure the proper shaping and upsetting of the side walls of the tube.lFor this reason it is preferable that the side die 11 be moved by ahydraulic cylinder or equivalent mechanism, as above stated.

The invention so far described is not my own, but is the invention ofJames P. Sueddon, as described and claimed in applications, Serial Nos.55,541 and 55,5t3, filed April 12, 1901.

My invention relates to the specific form of mandrel which is to be usedwith the dies 5 and in the manner above stated and will now bedescribed.

My mandrel 1 comprises a series of blocks or sections 15 15 15" dac.,all of which are similar and comprise the main body of the mandrel andtwo end blocks or sections 16 and 17, all of these blocks or sectionsbeing provided, preferably, with an opening or hole 18 passingtherethrough, which when the blocks are assembled aline with each otherto receive the tie-rod 19, the same being provided on one end with ahead 20 and is screwthreaded at its opposite end to receive the nut 21,by means of which tie-rod and nut the said blocks are locked immovablytogether to form a rigid body. Itis obvious that in place of the tie-rod19 and nut 21 various other means may be used to lock the blocks orsections together, and that my invention is not limited in thisparticular;

Each of the blocks 15 15a 15b, the., is of a general triangular shapehaving two iiat faces 22 and the third face being formed with theconvex-curved portion 23 and the concavecurved portions 24 24. The endblocks 16 and 17 are so shaped that they will tit against the ends ofthe blocks 15 15rl 15", the., and

complete the mandrel, said end blocks 'being provided with straightouter faces, as at 25, to provide suitable seats for the head 20 and nut21, as will be readily apparent.

In order that the blocks 15 15l 15", tbc., may be removed from theshaped serpentine header or other article, it is necessary that thefaces 22 of said blocks should beara certain definite relation to thecurved portions 23 2i thereof, as will now be explained. rllhe concaveportions 21 of the blocks are struck about the points a a a2, dre., ascenters, and the convex portions 23 of said blocks are struck about thepoints b h h2, the., as centers, and the said blocks are divided at themiddle of the convex portions 21, as at 26. The points c c' c2 c3, dac.,represent the points where the convex curves 23 merge into the concavecurves 24:,and if through these points lines be drawn which are at rightangles to both the radii 'a c and b c, such as the lines c d, c d', c2d', c3 d2, c4 cl2, the., these lines will be tangential to both thecurves 23 and 24:. The side faces 22 of the blocks are formed parallelto these tangential lines just specified. For instance, in block 15 theside face d e is parallel to the tangent c' d', and the face (lf e' ofsaid block is parallel to the tangent c d ot' the same block, or, whatis equivalent thereto, is a projection of the tangent c2 d of the block15. By following this principle of construction the said blocks can bereadily removed from the finished header or other article, it beingimpossible for the same to become bound therein. For instance, after theshaping of the header on the mandrel the tie rod 19 is removed, andafter the blocks 16 and 15c are removed it will be apparent that theblock 15 can be moved in a straight line in the direction of the arrow26, and inasmuch as the face d. e' of said block is parallel to thetangent c d it will `be impossible for the block to be bound by thecurved side walls of the header or other article. This principle ofconstruction will hold good no matter what the shape or curvature ordegree of curvature on the sinuous faces of the mandrel may be. In Fig.3 the curves on the faces of the mandrel are shown much sharper; but itwill be readily observed that the blocks nevertheless cannot becomebound in the tube. In order, however, to facilitate the removal of theblocks, the apices of said blocks are removed, as shown at 27.

The corrugations 23 24C on the faces of the mandrel are shown asextending obliqu ely or at an angle across said faces, and the meetinglines 26 of the blocks will extend at the same angle as shown in Fig. 5.This is to adapt the mandrel to form headers for boilers having inclinedwater-tubes; but in case the header is to be used for a boiler havinghorizontal water-tubes the corrugations 23 2t and meeting lines 26 ofthe blocks will extend straight across the faces of the mandrel. Theprinciple of constructing these blocks, however, will remain unchanged.

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In certain forms of boiler-headers-as, for instance, in the Niclausseboiler-it is necessary to provide the same with a longitudinaldiaphragm, and this may be done by forming the mandrel in twolongitudinal sections,plac ing the shaped diaphragm between the same,inserting the mandrel-sections with the interposed diaphragm in thesquared or rectangular tube,and then by means of the dies shown pressingthe Walls of said tube down upon the mandrel, thereby shaping the headerand also pressing the said walls firmly against the edges of the shapeddiaphragm, and inasmuch as the latter is preferably formed slightlywider than the mandrel the edges thereof will become embedded in theWalls of the tube and be held firmly in place. This method is theinvention of James P. Sneddon,as described and claimed in hisapplication, Serial No. 55,542, iiled April 12, 1901, and I do not, ofcourse, claim the same; but in Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown my specificform of mandrel adapted for carrying out this process. As shown, themandrel is formed in two sections 28 28, each of which is formed ofblocks constructed and assembled as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and united bymeans of tie-rods and nuts, as in said figures. The diaphragm-29,Which'has been cut to proper shape and which is jogged or stepped, asshown at 30, in order to provide the faces 3l, which will be at rightangles to the inclined Water-tubes of the boilers, is placed between theksections 28 of the mandrel, and the latter are united, as by means ofthe links 32, which links are provided with openings at their oppositeends for receiving the tie-rods 19, by means of -which the sections 28are secured together and prevented from endwise displacement. This man''said blocks can be-drawn out of the header.

The mandrel shown and described presents a perfectly rigidsupport to thethrust of the forging or shaping dies, and consequently insures theheader or other article being properly formed on the same,there being nopossibility that the article can collapse at one or more-points. At thesame time this mandrel is so constructed that it is impossible for thesections thereof to become bound in the header or other article; but thesame can be readily removed therefrom and can again bequickly and easilyassembled and used in the formation of other headers.

While l have shown my mandrel applied in the formation of serpentineboiler-headers, I

Wish it understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but thatthe same can be applied in the formation of'other tubular metallarticles or shapes which are provided With at same comprising a bodycomposed of a series of transverse sections and means for immovablysecuring said'sections together to form a rigid body, said mandrel beingadapted to be inserted in the tube and have thelatter pressed thereuponand to be then removed therefrom. l

2. A mandrel'for usein shaping Wroughtmetal headers or other tubulararticles, the same comprising a body provided with a curved or sinuonsface and composed of aseries of sections and means for immovablysecuringsaid sections together to forma rigid body, said mandrel being adaptedto beinserted in the tube and have the latter pressed thereupon and ltobe then removed therefrom.

3. A mandrel for use in shaping Wroughtmetal headers or other tubulararticles, the same comprising a body provided with oblique transversecorrugations and ycomposed of a series of sections, and means forimmovably securiu g said sectionstogether to form a rigid body, saidmandrelbeing adapted tov beinserted in the tube and have the latterpressed thereupon and to be then removed therefrom.

4. A mandrel for use in shaping Wroughtmetal headers or other tubulararticles, the same comprising a body having a curved or sinuous face,said body being composed ofa series of sections the meeting faces ofwhich are parallel to the tangents to the points where the concavecurves merge into the convex curves, and means for securingsaid sectionstogether.

5. A mandrel for use in shaping Wroughtmetal headers or other tubulararticles, the

of a series'of sections the meeting facesof I IvoV whichare paralleltothe tangents to the points Y where'the concave curves of the body mergeinto the convex curves,and means for se-` curing'said sections together.

6. A mandrel for use in shaping wroughtmetal headers or other tubulararticles, the same comprising a serpentine body provided with obliquecorrugations and composed of a series of sections the meeting faces lofwhich are parallel to the tangents to the points Where the concavecurves of the'body merge into the convex curves, and means for securingsaid sections together.

7. A block for a sectional mandrelfor use in shapingWrought-metalheaders or other tubular bodies, the same being vofsubstantially rectangular shape and having one side formed on concaveand convex meeting curves, and two straight sides which are parallel tothe tangents drawn through the meeting-points of the convex and concavecurves on the firstnamed side.

8. A block for a sectional mandrel for use in shaping wrought-metalheaders or other tubnlar articles, the same having dat parallel sidefaces and being substantially rectangular in shape, and having one sideformed on concave and convex meeting curves, and two straight sideswhich are parallel to the tangents drawn through the meeting-points ofthe convex and concave curves on the rst side, and which are oblique oratan angle to the parallel side faces of said block.

9. A block for a sectional mandrel for use in shaping wrought-metalheaders or other tubular articles, the same being of substantiallyrectangular shape and having one side formed on concave and convexmeeting curves, and two straight sides which are parallel to thetangents drawn through the meeting-points from the tube.

11. A mandrelfor use in shaping wroughtmetal headers or other tubulararticles, the same comprising a body having a curved or sinuous face,said body being composed of a where the concave curves merge into theconvex curves, and a tie-rod passing through said sections for removablysecuring the same together.

13. A mandrel for use in shaping wroughtmetal headers or other tubulararticles, the same comprising a body composed ot' a series of transversesections provided with alining openings, and a tie-rod passing throughsaid openings for rigidly securing said sections together.

14:. A mandrel for use in shaping wroughtmetal headers or other tubulararticles provided with a diaphragm, the same comprising two longitudinalsections each composed of a series of blocks, means for immovablysecuring said blocks together, and means for uniting said longitudinalsections at their ends.

15. A mandrel for use in shaping wroughtmetal headers or other tubulararticles provided With a diaphragm, the same comprising two longitudinalsections provided with transverse corrugations, each section composed ofa series of blocks, means for immovably securing said blocks together,and means for uniting said longitudinal sections at their ends.

16. A mandrel for use in shaping wroughtmetal headers or other tubulararticles provided with a diaphragm, the same comprising two longitudinalsections, each having a curved or sinuous face and composed of a seriesof blocks the meeting faces of which are parallel to the tangents to thepoints where the concave curves merge into the convex curves, means forsecuring said blocks together, and means for uniting said longitudinalsections at their ends.

17. A mandrel for use in shaping wroughtmetal headers or other tubulararticles having a diaphragm, the same comprising two longitudinalsections of serpentine form, said sections being composed of a series ofblocks the meeting faces of which are parallel to the tangents to thepoints Where the concave curves of the body merge into the convexcurves, means for im movabl y securing said blocks together, and meansfor uniting said longitudinal sections at their ends.

In testimony whereof I, the said FRED D. SWEET, have hereunto set myhand.

FRED D. S WEET.

Witnesses:

ROBERT C. TOTTEN, RoBT. D. ToTTEN.

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